Conventional orthopaedic implants are typically secured to tissue at the implantation site via known orthopaedic fastening devices, such as bone screws and/or pins. Although implants secured in such a manner typically do not become loose, there may exist unnecessary stress on conventional fastening devices due to internal forces produced by surrounding tissue, as well as due to external forces that may be produced by various, everyday patient activities. Such external forces may be easily transferred via structures of the body to the implantation site.
Furthermore, the number of conventional fastening devices used to securely fasten an implant may be such as to damage the surrounding tissue, or it may be that the implantation site does not offer enough potential locations for receiving the number of bone screws and/or pins required to securely fasten the implant.
What is needed in the art is a way to fixate orthopaedic implants to bone tissue that overcomes some of the described disadvantages present in the art.